Machine for booking matches



March 25, 1941. J, R, NoLAN MACHINE FOR BOOKING MATCHES 3 Sheets-Sheet 1`F'ilecl May 17, 1940 1:'

March wm.,

J. R. NOLAN 2,235,900

MACHINE FOR BOOKING MATCHES Flled May 17, 1940 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 E@`Filed nay 17, -1940 s sheets-sheet 5 ...MMIII Patented Mar. 25', 1941UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE MACHINE FOR BOOKING MATCHES Application May17, 1940, serial No. 335,6s1`

4 Claims.

This invention relates to machines for booking matches, and moreparticularly to a machine of the type disclosed in Letters Patent of theUnited States No. 1,042,472, dated October 29, 1912, to which referencemay be had.

The present invention concerns mechanism of simple and inexpensiveconstruction for eiiiciently ejecting from the pockets of the travellingcoverand-match card carrier of a booking machine, match cards from whichthe covers have been omitted, and this without disturbing the properlyassembled covers and cards borne by the carrier. A form of mechanism forthis purpose is the subject of an application iiled by Michael Paridon,February 21, 1940', under Serial No. 820,002, which mechanism, generallydescribed, comprises a crank-actuated match ejecting dog movabletransversely and vertically in respect to the path of the carrier, andmeans including a cam-controlled rocker-frame for supporting and guidingthe dog in its travel, the relative angularity of the frame to the planeof the carrier being determined by thepresence or absence oi a cover inthe carrier; that is to say, in the presence of a cover effective tolimit the descent of the rocker frame the latter is positioned to guidethe dog with its tooth or acting member above and out of contact withthe cover, whereas in the absence of a cover the frame is permitted todescend suffi- 30 cientiy to guide the dog with its tooth in abuttingrelation to the adjacent ends of the uncovered match card or cards borneby the carrier.

In accordance with my invention, the crank connection for the matchejecting dog, the rocker 35 frame, and the cam actuating means for theframe, are eliminated. Instead a simple pendulous element of novelconstruction, which is pivotally supported by a reciprocating head, isso formed and arranged that in the presence of a 40 cover in a pocket ofthe carrier the element in the major portions of its forward andbackward strokes is guided and supported by the carrier in a plane abovethe adjacent cover, whereas in the absence of a cover the element in itsforward stroke rides upon the upper surface of the carrier and above theunderlying match card until the element reaches the limit of its stroke,whereupon the element automatically assumes a substantially verticalposition with its acting portion 50 in alignment with the pocket of thecarrier, which portion in the succeeding back stroke of the dog entersand traverses the pocket of the carrier in a manner to abut the opposingends of the match card or cards, thus positively ejecting such card orcards from the carrier.

The invention also comprises novel features of construction andcombinations of parts which in a preferred form will be hereinafterdescribed, the scope of the invention being expressed in the appendedclaims. 5

In the drawings- Figure l is a. front elevation of a portion of a matchbooking machine equipped with match card removing mechanism embodyingthe principle of my invention. 10

Fig. 2 i-s a partial transverse vertical section, as on the line 2-2 ofFig. 1, showing the said mechanism in elevation and at the end of itsrearward stroke, and also in dotted lines at the r end of its forwardstroke, the frame of the bookl" ing machine being indicated in dottedlines.

Fig. 3 is a plan of the said mechanism and a pair of adjacent carrierlinks, one of the links being shown with a cover therein and the otherlink with a match card devoid of a cover, and the 20 match ejectingelements for the respective links being represented in their relativepositions at the limit of their forward stroke.

Fig. 4 is a transverse vertical section, as on the 25 line 4-4 of Fig.3.

Fig. 5 is an elevation of th-e forward or right hand portion of themechanism shown in Fig. 4.

Figs. 6 and 7 are transverse sections through the carrier and its guidetrough, showing an ejecting element in succeeding positions in relationto a carrier link containing a match card and cover.

Figs. 8, 9 and 10 are similar sections, showing the ejecting element insucceeding positions in relation to a carrier link containing matchcards devoid of a cover.

Fig. 11 is a perspective view of a portion of a reciprocating structurefor supporting a pair of match ejecting elements.

Fig. 12 is a similar view of one of the said ele- 40 ments.

Referring to the drawings, I5 designates the supporting frame includingthe table I6 of a typical match booking machine, and I'I a portion of acarrier which is intermittently actuated by and from the main cam shaftof the machine through suitable gearing. The form of carrier illustratedcomprises an endless chain of pocketed links adapted to travel in alongitudinally extending guide trough I8 suitably located at the rear of50 the table, each link of the chain including a base I9 with parallelside wall-s 20 having inwardly overhanging flanges 2|, and including aspring clamping leaf 22 which is secured at one end to the base andinclined upwardly and rearwardly so that its free upper end coacts withthe under surfaces of the flanges.

In each dwell of the carrier in one location of its path two covers C,each folded at one end, are inserted in adjacent carrier links, with thefolded ends f projecting rearwardly beyond the links while the bodies ofthe covers are yieldingly clamped against the flanges 2| by the springleaves 22. In the continued travel of the carrier the end folded coversborne thereby are positioned in another location where match cards M areinserted flatwise in the carrier links which were previously presentedto the cover inserting station, the cards being pushed between thespring leaves and the under surfaces of the covers contained in eachlink so that the uncut bases of the cards are inclosed by the foldedends of the covers. Usually two counterpart cards of matches, one cardsuperposed on the other, are inserted in each link. In the continuedprogress of the carrier the contents of the links are transported tostitching mechanism S; thence (if not pre-frictioned) to friction-paintapplying mechanism P; thence to succeeding stations in the book makingcycle, as usual.

Mechanism embodying my invention for removing match cards from carrierlinks from which covers have been omitted at the coversupply station, ismounted adjacent the path of the carrier in` a location following thecard-inserting station, preferably between thel stitchers and thefriction-pain applying agency, which mechanism in the exemplifying formis as follows:

Fixed to the rear wall of the trough I8 is a bracket 23 having lateralguides 24 in and between which is a slide 25 that is reciprocated intimed relation to the carrier; that is to say, during each dwell of thecarrier the slide moves to and from the adjacent side of the carrier,the stroke of the head somewhat exceeding the width of the trough. Anysuitable means for actuating the slide may be employed. In the presentinstance the slide is pivotally connected by means of a link 25 with theupstanding arm 2'! of a bell-crank fulcrumed on a stud-shaft Z8extending froni the frame 2Q of the stitcher. The other arm 3E) of thebell-crank has a lateral roll 3| operatively fitted in the race of aface cam 32 fast on a shaft 33 which is driven at the same speed as themain cam shaft of the match machine, the contour of the race being suchthat the bell-crank is oscillated thereby at determined intervals toeffect the timed reciprocation of the slide 25, as previously mentioned(see Figs. 1 and 2).

The slide 25 supports the expanded base 34 of a rearwardly extending arm35 which is movable in a path overhang-ing that of the carrier, the freeend of this arm, at the limits of its forward and back movement, beingsomewhat beyond the respective sides of the carrier. Such end isprovided with a cross structure 36 in the nature of a T-head formed withspaced depending lugs 3l in and between which are pivoted two pendulouselements 33 of special construction, which elements are spaced apartcorrespondingly with the pockets of two adjacent links of the carrier.Since the elements are alike in construction and operation, adescription of one will suffice.

Each of the elements constitutes, in effect, a gravity dog having at itsupper portion a hub 39 which is loosely mounted' on a stud-shaft 40fixed in and between a pair of lugs 31 yof the cross-member of the arm35. Hence the axis of the dog is above and longitudinally of thecarrier, which dog is of sufiicient length to depend normally below theflanges of the adjacent link. The dog is formed with a laterally andforwardly extending base 4| adapted to overlie the flanges 2| of theadjacent carrier link while the dog is reciprocating from end to end ofthe link, as seen in dotted lines in Fig. 7. The forwardly projectingnose of the base is rounded, as at 42, and the tail portion isdownwardly and forwardly beveled or lia-red, as at 43. From the underside of the base 4I at the rear thereof, depends a bifurcated neckportion, the members 44 of which are movable freely through the Ispacebetween the link flanges. The neck members terminate respectively inlaterally extending toes 45 arranged in spaced relation to each otherand to the base 4| so as tounderlie the respective flanges during therearward stroke of the dog, as will presently appear. The rear ends ofthe toes 45 present substantially vertical acting surfaces 46, and theirforward ends are rounded or beveled, as at The front faces of the neckmembers 44 curve downwardly and forwardly to the rounded or beveled ends4l of the toes 45, as indicated at 470.

The center of gravity of eachdog is such that when by actuation of thearm 35 the dog is moved outwardly beyond either side of the carrier andis in equilibrium the toes 45 lie below the plane of the under surfacesof the flanges, while the nose 42 of the base 4| lies partially belowand above the plane of the upper surfaces of the flanges, as indicatedin .dotted lines at the left of Fig. 6 and at the right of Fig. 8.

The body of the dog has an upward projection 48 which, when the dog isin its normal or vertical `position during its rearward stroke, abuts asuitably-disposed rearward stop 49 when the toes 45 impinge the opposingmatch heads, thus limiting the forward swing of the dog. In the presentinstance this stop is constituted by a rod which is fixed to and betweenthose lugs 3l of the supporting member 36 that embrace the hub 39 of thedog. A lower similarly supported lrod 50 aords a stop with which theprojection 48 abuts to limit excess upward movement of the dog duringits initial forward stroke when the rounded nose 42 abuts the rear endsof the link flanges 2 I.

The opening 5| between the spaced toes 45 cf the depending dog enablesthe dog in its initial back stroke into the pocket of a link from whicha cover has been omitted, to escape a block 52 which is fixed to theback wall of the trough i8 centrally of the entrance to the pocket so asto afford a support for the forwardly extending flap portion of a coverwhen present, as will be hereinafter described.

In Figs. 3, 4 and 5 of the drawings the slide 25 is represented at thelimit of its forward stroke in respect to two adjacent links of thecarrier, one link containing a cover and its complementary cards, 4andthe other link containing match cards only. As seen, one of the dogs isin downwardly and rearwardly inclined position with the rounded forwardportions 4T of its toes 45 resting upon the forwardly extending portionof the underlying cover C, thus supporting the rearward or actingportions of the toes above the proximate end of the link and the `nose42 of the base 4I slightly above the cover, while the other dog, beingunsupported in the absence of a cover, has gravitated to its normalpendent position with its toes` 45 forwardly of thecover-supportingiblock 52 and below the flanges of the link containing`the match cards only;

In the initial backstroke off the slide the inclined under surfaces ofthe toes of the supported dog immediately ri-de upon the opposing endsof the link flanges, thus. camming the dog upward until the roundedtrailing portions 41 of Vthe toes rest upon the upper surfaces of `theflanges, as seen in Fig. 7. As the stroke continues the dog rides freelyupon the flanges until the toes riti Iand the base 4I escape the linkand the projecting folded end of the cover therein, whereupon the doggravitates to its normal position, as indicated in dotted lines attheleft of Fig. 6. c

Coincidentally with theL `described back stroke of the dog in relationto the link containing the cover, the toes of the companion dog enterand traverse the pocket of the link containing the uncovered matchcards, thus impinging the o-pposing heads of the matches beneath theflanges. At this instant the hanging portion of the latter dog is movedslightly forward until the upper projection d8 thereof abuts the stop49, whereupon the toes 45 iznpinge the match heads and forcibly push thecards rearwardly against the force of the underlying spring 22, thusejecting the match cards bodily from the carrier and beyond the rearside of the trough. This done the dog resumes its normal pendentposition similarly to the companion. dog, the noses l2 of the bases 4Iof both dogs being slightly tilted downwardly in respect to the uppersurface of the carrier (see dotted lines at left of Fig. 6).

In the initial forward movement of the slide 25 and the dogs 38 duringeach dwell of the carrier, the leading lower portions of the necks 44where they merge with the ends 41 o-f the toes 45 of the respectivedogs, abut the opposing folded end of the cover and the opposing baseend of the 'uncovered match cards so that the toes fulcrum on theopposing ends of the cover and cards until the noses 42 of the bases 4lof the dogs come in contact with the opposing upper portions of therespective link flanges 2| (as seen at the left of Fig. 8), whereupon asthe forward movement of the dogs continues the noses of the bases 4Ipivot against such portions and trail along the upper surfaces of theflanges. Hence the dogs are tilted with their respective toes 45 locatedabove the links. As the dogs approach the limit of the forward strokethe noses 42 of the bases 4I escape the underlying carrier links. Thebase of the dog which overhangs the cover sinks until the leading ends41 of the toes 45 rest upon the flanges of the link, in which case thebase of the dog is maintained i slightly above and out of contact withthe cover,

following which in the completion of the stroke, the toes 45 clear theend of the link and rest upon the cover, thus maintaining the dog indownwardly and rearwardly inclined position, with the base ill above thesurface of the cover and the rearward ends of the toes overhanging theends of the adjacent links, as seen in Figs. 4 and 6. Therefore in thesucceeding back stroke of the head the dog rides idly over the linkwhich contains the cover, as previously described.

The lower end of the companion dog, being unsupported in the absence ofa cover when it escapes the link, gravitates to its normal positionpreparatory to the succeeding back stroke of the cover to eject thematch cards, as hereinbefore mentioned. l i l If, perchance, an emptylink should be positioned inthe path of either of the dogs in itsforward stroke, the forwardly projecting nose of the `dog in its initialmovement will directly come in contact with the opposing ends of theflanges of the link, and as the forward movement of the dog continuesitwill be tilted by and caused to trail along the upper surfaces of theflanges. At the end of its forward stroke the dog will resume its normalposition, and then in the succeeding back stroke the toes 45 of that dogwill pass idly through the pocket of the adjacent link.

It is to be understoodthat my invention is not limited to the particularexemplifying forms of embodiment thereof herein disclosed, as themechanisms may be modified within the principle of the invention and thescope of the appended claims.`

Iclaim:

1. In a match booking machine embodying a travelling carrier havingDockets to receive and transport a succession of assembled covers andmatch cards, means for ejecting from the pockets cards from which thecovers have been omitted, comprising a pendulous element extendingnormally below the path of the tops of the pockets and having an axis ofoscillation above and longitudinally of said path, and means forsupporting said pendulous element and bodily reciprocating it in timedrelation to the carrier in a path transversely of the carrier and beyondthe respective ends of the adjacent pocket, said element including abase and a pusher spaced below and in co-operative relation to saidbase, whereby during the reciprocation of said element the base co-actswith and passes over the upper surface of the carrier, thus temporarilymaintaining the element including the pusher above and in inclinedrelation to the path of the carrier, and whereby said element when itpasses beyond the forward end of a pocket from which a cover is absentdescends to its normal position, thereby locating the pusher to entersuch pocket during the rearward stroke of said element, thus ejectingthe opposing uncovered cards.

2. In a match booking machine embodying a travelling carrier havingpockets to receive and transport a succession of assembled covers andmatch cards, means for ejecting from the pockets cards from which thecovers have been omitted, comprising a pendulous element extendingnormally below the path of the tops of the pockets and having an axis ofoscillation above and longitudinally of said path, and means forsupporting said pendulous element and bodily reciprocating it in timedrelation to the carrier in a path transversely of the carrier andibeyondthe respective ends of the adjacent pocket, said element including ab-ase and a pusher spaced below and in co-operative relation to saidbase, said base having a forwardly projecting nose portion and saidpusher having a rearwardly projecting portion, whereby during thereciprocation of said element the base co-acts with and passes over theupper surface of the carrier, thus temporarily maintaining the elementincluding the pusher above and in inclined relation to the path of thecarrier, and whereby said element when it passes beyond the forward endof a pocket from which a cover is absent descends to its normalposition, thereby locating the pusher to enter such pocket during therearward stroke of said element, thus ejecting the opposing uncoveredcards.

3. In a match booking machine embodying a travelling carrier havingpockets to ,receive and transport a succession of assembled covers andmatch cards, each pocket having upper side anges and a spring memberco-acting with said anges toprovide a clamp for the covers and cards,and each of them, means forejecting from the pockets cards from whichvthe covers have been omitted, comprising a pendulous` element normallyextending below the vplane of the flanges, and means for supporting saidpendulous element and bodily reciprocating itiin timed relation to thecarrier ina path .transversely of the carrier and beyond the `respectiveends'of the adjacent pocket, said element having a base and a pusherconnected by a neck portion and spaced below and in co-oper-ativerelation to .the base, said base and pusher being of greater width andsaid neck of less width than the space between the flanges, wherebyduring the reciprccation of said element the base co-acts with andpasses over the upper surface of said anges, thus temporarilymaintaining the element including the pusher above and in inclinedrelation to the path of the carrier, and whereby said element when itpasses beyond the forward end of a pocket from which a cover is absentdescends to its normal position, thereby locating the pusher to entersuch pocket under the flanges during the rearward stroke of saidelement, thus ejecting the opposing uncovered cards.

4. In means for removing from the travelling pocketed carrier of a matchbooking machine match cards from which covers have been omitted, anejecting element comprising a pendulous dog including a base having anose portion, a neck depending from said base, and a match card pushersupported in spaced relation to the base by said neck.

JOHN R. NOLAN.

